The influence of nano-architectured CeOx supports in RhPd/CeO2 for the catalytic ethanol steam reforming reaction

The ethanol steam reforming (ESR) reaction has been tested over RhPd supported on polycrystalline ceria in comparison to structured supports composed of nanoshaped CeO2 cubes and CeO2 rods tailored toward the production of hydrogen. At 650-700 K the hydrogen yield follows the trend RhPd/CeO(2)cubes >RhPd/CeO2-rods >RhPd/CeO2-polycrystalline, whereas at temperatures higher than 800K the catalytic performance of all samples is similar and close to the thermodynamic equilibrium. The improved performance of RhPd/CeO2-cubes and RhPd/CeO2-rods for ESR at low temperature is mainly ascribed to higher water-gas shift activity and a strong interaction between the bimetallic-oxide support interaction. STEM analysis shows the existence of RhPd alloyed nanoparticles in all samples, with no apparent relationship between ESR performance and RhPd particle size. X-ray diffraction under operating conditions shows metal reorganization on {1 0 0} and {1 1 0} ceria crystallographic planes during catalyst activation and ESR, but not on {1 1 1} ceria crystallographic planes. The RhPd reconstructing and tuned activation over ceria nanocubes and nanorods is considered the main reason for better catalytic activity with respect to conventional catalysts based on polycrystalline ceria. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Postprint (author's final draft

Contamination content introduced with rain water to the rivers after they have been cleaned in separators of petroleum compounds

The article presents the results of rainwater quality studies. The rainwater flowing from the surface of urbanized areas of the city of Białystok discharged into the river after they have been cleansed with separators petroleum compounds. Also discussed are issues related to with rain water and the problem to need develop them. Contaminated flushes from sealed surfaces such as street squares, sidewalks, parking lots, etc., during periods of rain or thawing, pose a serious threat to the natural environment. The work presents analyzes of such pollutants as general slurry, heavy metals, chlorides, BOD5, COD, etc., which once penetrate rainwater into Biała River. Five measurement and control points located in a typical urban drainage basin were selected for the study. The tests were taken in the spring of 2017 in two measuring series. The first series was taken during the long-term precipitation, while the second was after the almost one-month rain-free period, at the time of the first precipitation

Contamination content introduced with rain water to the rivers after they have been cleaned in separators of petroleum compounds

The article presents the results of rainwater quality studies. The rainwater flowing from the surface of urbanized areas of the city of Białystok discharged into the river after they have been cleansed with separators petroleum compounds. Also discussed are issues related to with rain water and the problem to need develop them. Contaminated flushes from sealed surfaces such as street squares, sidewalks, parking lots, etc., during periods of rain or thawing, pose a serious threat to the natural environment. The work presents analyzes of such pollutants as general slurry, heavy metals, chlorides, BOD5, COD, etc., which once penetrate rainwater into Biała River. Five measurement and control points located in a typical urban drainage basin were selected for the study. The tests were taken in the spring of 2017 in two measuring series. The first series was taken during the long-term precipitation, while the second was after the almost one-month rain-free period, at the time of the first precipitation

The Content of Heavy Metals in Waste as an Indicator Determining the Possibilities of their Agricultural Use

The aim of the study was to evaluate the available waste in view of the heavy metals and fractions thereof. Three waste materials were analyzed in the work namely dried, granular sludge, digestate from agricultural biogas plant and ash after combustion of biomass from the combined heat and power plant, in terms of the content of heavy metals in them. Also determined their mobility through fractional analysis and assessed the possibilities of their agricultural use. The analyzed waste was varied due to the pH. The highest pH had biomass ashes and it was an alkaline. The dried precipitate due to the pH was neutral and digestate was slightly alkaline. In the analyzed wastes, the content of permissible concentrations of heavy metals determined in the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment was not exceeded. The content of individual elements varied and depends on the type of waste tested. The conducted sequential analysis showed that various metal fractions are present in the tested wastes. The content of heavy metals in individual factions was varied and the content of mobile and potentially mobile fractions, i.e. metals of fractions I and II, was lower compared to the non-mobile fractions III and IV

Shape-dependent activity of ceria in soot combustion

In this study, a series of conventional polycrystalline ceria and single-crystalline ceria nanorods and nanocubes were prepared by hydrothermal methods, and their structural, redo; and morphological properties were investigated using XRD, SEM, HRTEM, BET, temperature-programmed reduction, and oxygen storage capacity measurements. According to HRTEM, they are characterized by exposure of different surfaces: {100} surface for nanocubes; {100}, {110}, and in part {111} for nanorods; and mainly {1 1 1} for conventional polycrystalline ceria, with a morphology dominated by {111}-enclosed octahedral particles. The presence of more-reactive exposed surfaces affects the reaction of soot oxidation positively, with an increase in activity in nanoshaped materials compared with conventional ceria. Thermal aging, although detrimental for surface area, is shown to affect morphology by promoting irregular truncation of edges and corners and development of more reactive surface combinations in all crystal shapes. It is likely that thermal treatment, starting from either cubes or octahedral particles, induces the formation of a similar particle geometry whose activity is dependent on the type of plane exposed and by the number an extension of edge and corners, thus linking reactivity of octahedral particles in conventional ceria powders with that of cubes in nanoshaped materials. The results indicate that soot oxidation is also a surface-dependent reaction, and catalyst design for this purpose should allow for surface structure morphology and its evolution against temperature